In recent years, a fuel cell, which operates even at room temperature and can have high power density, has been attracting attention as a power source for electric vehicles and as a stationary power source in response to social needs or trends based on energy or environmental problems. In principle, a product of a fuel cell due to an electrode reaction is water and the fuel cell is a clean power generation system having little impact on the global environment. Particularly, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) operates at a comparatively low temperature, and therefore, is anticipated as a power source for an electric vehicle.
Such a fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (hereinafter, referred to as MEA) having an electrolyte membrane; a catalyst layer which is formed on both surfaces of the membrane; a gas diffusion layer (GDL); and the like. Moreover, the fuel cell is structured such that a plurality of MEAs are stacked through a separator.
The MEAs and the separators are alternately stacked and are further stacked together with a current collector plate that collects generated power; an insulating plate that insulates an end plate and the current collector plate; and the like.
A hole, through which fuel gas having hydrogen, air as oxidant gas, or the like is passed, is provided in each of these members. An O-ring, a gasket, or the like is disposed between each of the members to prevent leakage of these fluids.
In the related art, when manufacturing such a fuel cell, in order to position each of the members at each predetermined position, each side surface of the members are set to be brought into contact with a positioning guide (PTL 1).